Adventures in the Later Roman Empire

08 October 2008

Signs and Mysteries

I am very pleased to see that Mike Aquilina, of Fathers of the Church, has a new book out: Signs and Mysteries. Mike was kind enough to send me a copy of the proofs and I was happy to give him a blurb.

“Mike Aquilina’s Signs and Mysteries
provides a popular yet academically rigorous guide to symbols in the
early church. The immediately accessible prose — which quotes
thoughtfully from the church fathers, classical and Jewish sources — is
complemented by generous illustrations. He has not only drawn on the
obvious archaeological and epigraphic record, he has also delved into
the fascinating world of Christian graffiti. An essential book to keep
to hand when visiting early Christian sites.”

Added to that, what was not apparent when I first saw the text was how beautiful the book's production is. Function tends to dictate form these days. But the paper, the illustrations, the size and the binding are all wonderful.

I confess that I have not moved his book off my desk since. This is not just because I rarely tidy up, but because it really is a handy volume for anyone interested in early Christian art and symbols. Kevin Edgecomb of Biblicalia has a review here. A multimedia presentation of the book is here.